The Institute of General Practice Management (IGPM) has met with MPs in Parliament urging them to ensure primary care managers have a formal voice in shaping future plans for the NHS.
The organisation, which represents more than 2,000 practice and PCN managers, lobbied members of the House of Commons health and social care committee last week, following evidence from Wes Streeting that focused on the 10-year health plan.
IGPM directors told MPs that managers have so far been invisible in NHS policy and strategy, excluded from key conversations about the health service’s future, overlooked and undervalued, despite the critical role they play in delivering services and making change happen.
They outlined evidence showing that effective managers in primary care directly improve patient outcomes, also explaining to MPs that when practice managers are excluded from discussions policies fail at the point of delivery, patients suffer and, in turn, talented managers leave their jobs.
And they warned that mistakes of the past, such as the under-resourcing of PCNs, which the IGPM said had been a ‘promising concept’, would be repeated during the roll out of the 10-year plan without adequate management funding and operational infrastructure in place from the start.
‘When managers in general practice are supported, services are safer, complaints fall and patients are seen faster,’ directors told MPs. ‘We’re not asking for applause. We’re asking to be seen, heard and included so that general practice can thrive.’
Kay Keane, chair of the IGPM further said: ‘We are at a critical moment with the NHS 10-Year Plan. It talks about multidisciplinary teams, neighbourhood care, and digital transformation.
‘But who is expected to deliver all of that? Practice managers are. And yet, we’re not mentioned. That is a design flaw – just like in previous plans and just like when PCNs were created were created.
‘If we want to succeed in delivering this new vision, we must learn from what came before’.
The IGPM is specifically calling the Government for:
- Recognition of primary care managers in all NHS policy and workforce planning
- A seat at the table in strategic decisions to help turn plans into real change
- Support for IGPM’s national accreditation framework
- Structured development and leadership support.
Joe Robertson, MP, a member of the health and social care select committee and who hosted the IPGM at the Parliamentary session admitted that, ‘practice managers are too often a missing voice’.
‘Without them, general practice doesn’t function’ he added.
‘I was proud to be the first MP to host the IGPM in Parliament to ensure their vital contribution is recognised. Their leadership, insight and day-to-day expertise are essential to the success of the NHS 10 Year Plan, especially as we explore neighbourhood hubs and better local access to care.’
